Aligner and straightener for sicklebar guards



July 16, 1957 E. A. FERRIISI ALIGNER AND STRAIGHTENER FOR- SICKLE-BAR GUARDS Fil ed Jan. 20, 1956 INVENTOR.

United States Patent ALIGNER AND STRAIGHTENER FOR SICKLE- BAR GUARDS Edwin A. Ferris, Highmore, S. Dak.

Application January 20, 1956, Serial No. 560,444

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) My invention provides a novel guard aligner and straightener for sickle bars and has for its primary object the provision of a device of this class, which may be quickly but securely placed in operative position and which, when so placed, may be utilized to straighten and align forwardly projecting guards with a minimum amount of effort and with little or no skill.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is provided with a clamping mouth slidably receivable along the rear longitudinal edge of a sickle bar and which, when so mounted, is precluded from forward and rearward or lateral rocking movements.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class descn'bed which includes a generally upstanding frame having an attachment mouth at its lower end portion for slidable reception of a sickle bar, which is provided with a level-acting handle at its upper end, the forward end of said handle overlying the guard on a sickle bar when the sickle bar is received in said clamping mouth, and in combination with a depending bending arm pivotally secured to the said forward end of the handle and depending therefrom and being provided in its lower end portion with a recess for reception of the free end of a guard in vertical alignment therewith. Such structure is capable of imparting straightening and aligning movements to a guard in said recess upon raising and lowering movements of the handle.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described, which is further provided with a locking arm pivotally secured to the intermediate portion of the bending arm and having its extended end portion overlying the clamping mouth and having locking engagement with the frame, whereby to positively limit swinging movements of the bending arm during straightening movements thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class above described, which is relatively inexpensive to produce, which is rugged and durable in construction and foolproof in operation.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in plan of my novel structure showing the same mounted on a conventional sickle bar;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the sickle bar in vertical section; and

Fig. 3 is a view in fragmentary front elevation.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a frame, the lower end portion of which is formed to provide a clamping mouth 2. Clamping mouth 2 includes a pair of upper and lower jaw elements 3 and 4, respectively, which are vertically spaced to provide a forwardly opening end 5. The frame 1 and clamping mouth 2 are preferably, and

can

2,799,193 Patented July 16, 1 9 57 as shown, formed integrally by casting the same of suitable metal, the frame 1 being relatively narrow and barlike in appearance; whereas, the mouth 2 is relatively wide, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3.

The vertical spacing between the upper and lower jaw elements 3 and 4 is such as to snugly slidably receive the rear longitudinal edge portion 6 of a conventional sickle bar 7, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. Also, preferably and as shown, the lower element 4 projects forwardly a greater distance than the upper jaw element 3, as also best shown in Fig. 2. As there shown, the upper jaw element 3 overlies the rear upper surface 8 of the sickle bar 7 adjacent its rear longitudinal edge and terminates in closely spaced relation to the longitudinally spaced retainer elements 9 conventionally used to lock the cutter bar 10 in position along the longitudinal forward edge 11 of the sickle bar 7. On the other hand, the forwardly-projecting portion 12 of the lower jaw element 4 underlies the rear end portion 13 of a conventional guard 14, which projects forwardly of the longitudinal edge 11 of the sickle bar 7. This arrangement positively locks the frame 1 and parts carried thereby against rearward rocking movements when the sickle bar 7 is slidably received between the upper and lower jaw elements 3, 4, as shown in Fig. 2.

As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, the jaw elements 3, 4 project laterally outwardly on opposite sides of the frame 1 longitudinally of the sickle bar '7, and in this manner positively preclude lateral rocking movements of the frame 1 when the sickle bar 7 is snugly received between the jaw elements 3, 4.

Pivotally secured as at 15 to the upper end portion of the frame 1 is a lever-acting handle 16. Pivotally secured as at 17 to the forward end 18 of the lever-acting handle 16 and depending therefrom is a bending arm 19. As shown, the arm 19 is mounted for swinging movements transversely of the bar 7 and toward and away from the frame 1. At its lower end, the bending arm 19 is provided with aperture 20, which is capable of receiving therein the free end 21 of the guard 14. It should be obvious that raising movements of the handle 16 On the pivot 15 causes lowering movements to be imparted to the bending arm 19 with a consequent engagement of portion 22 thereof with the upper surface 23 with the guard 14. Such movement is essential when it is necessary to lower the guard 14 with respect to the reciprocable cutter blades 24, rigidly secured to and carried by the cutter bar it When it is desired to raise the guard 14, whereby to cause proper alignment therebetween and the reciprocable cutter blades 24, the handle 16 is lowered whereby to cause engagement of the portion 25 with the undersurfa'ce 26 of the guard 14.

To positively lock the bending arm 19 against swinging movements during vertical operative bending movements thereof, I provide a locking arm 27, which is pivotally secured as at 28 to the intermediate portion of said arm 19. As shown, particularly in Fig. 2, the extended rearwardly projected free end of the locking arm 27 overlies the mouth 2 and is provided in its lower surface with one or more recesses 29 for the selective reception of the upstanding flanged portion 30 associated with the frame 1 and mouth 2.

In operation, my novel structure is mounted as shown upon a sickle bar 7. Thereafter, by slidably moving the same along the rear edge portion 6, the bending arm 19 may be selectively moved into proper alignment with those guards in need of alignment. Obviously, during such sliding movements, the bending arm 19 is swung forwardly and upwardly. After proper alignment, the

arm 19 is swung downwardly to cause the front end portion 21 of a desired guard 14 to enter the recess 20. Thereafter, as above described, raising or lowering move ments of the handle 16 will conversely cause lowering and raising movements to be imparted to the bending arm 19 and consequently straightening movements to the guards 14.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be specifically understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A generally upright frame defining a forwardly opening mouth at its lower end adapted to snugly receive the rear end portion of a sickle bar, a handle lever pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the upper portion of said frame, a bending arm pivotally secured to the forward end of said handle for swinging movements of its depending free end toward and away from said frame and in a vertical plane transversely of a sickle bar received in said mouth, said arm having a recess in its lower end portion adapted to encompass the free end of the guard projecting forwardly from the sickle bar received in said mouth, raising and lowering movements of said handle imparting aligning and straightening movements to the guard within said recess, and a locking arm pivotally secured to the intermediate portion of said bending arm and projecting rearwardly in overlying relationship to said mouth, said locking arm and said frame having cooperating recess and detent portions to limit swinging movements of said bending arm during straightening movements thereof.

2. A generally upright frame defining a forwardly opening mouth at its lower end adapted to snugly receive the rear end portion of a sickle bar, a handle lever pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the upper portion of said frame, and a bending arm pivotally secured to the forward end of said handle for swinging movements of its depending free end toward and away from said frame and in a vertical plane transversely of a sickle bar received in said month, said arm having a recess in its lower end portion adapted to encompass the free end of the guard projecting forwardly from the sickle bar received in said mouth, raising and lowering movements of said handle imparting aligning and straightening movements to the guard within said recess, said mouth comprising upper and lower jaw elements which snugly slidably engage the upper and lower surfaces respectively of said sickle bar, the lower one of said jaw elements projecting forwardly a distance greater than the upper one thereof.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said jaw elements project laterally outwardly in the same direction from said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,647,211 Bushek Nov. 1, 1927 1,664,529 Schroeder Apr. 3, 1928 1,814,435 De Laney July 14, 1931 2,075,117 Johnson Mar. 30, 1937 2,701,001 James Feb. 1, 1955 2,722,858 Oyen Nov. 8, 1955 

